Lens list in Michael's D800/D800E piece

[Jan Morales]

The list of lenses in Michael's piece today about the Nikon D800 and D800E doesn't include Nikon's PC-E lenses. I wonder if that is an oversight, or are they really not on Nikon's recommended list for the D800E?

[BernardLanguillier]

The list of lenses in Michael's piece today about the Nikon D800 and D800E doesn't include Nikon's PC-E lenses. I wonder if that is an oversight, or are they really not on Nikon's recommended list for the D800E?

I believe that Michael did quote a list provided by Nikon themselves as examples of lenses in their line up whose superior sharpness would help tap into the D800e resolution potential.

Regarding the PC-E lenses, there has been quite a bit of discussion around them without a clear conclusion.

The most common position is that the 45 and 85 will probably be fully functional, while there may be a limitation in the achievable landscape upward shift with the 24mm, like it is the case for the D700 when the main knob is kept upwards (it can be rotated 180 degrees to avoid any issue). All the other movements are available.

This is assuming that the shape of the prism of the D800 is similar to that of the D700.

I did in fact request to test the 24mm PC-E on the D800 when I had a quick hands on with the camera a few weeks back during the Yokohama camera show, but they had no sample of these lenses readily available.

I should receive my D800 end of next week and have a 24mm PC-E that I'll try right away.

Cheers,
Bernard

[LesPalenik]

I was surprised not to see the 50mm/1.4 lens in the list.
Is this just an omission or should I sell that lens?

[michael]

The list is Nikon's, and I doubt that there are any accidental omissions.

Just because the 50mm f/1.4 or any other lens isn't on the list only means that it likely doesn't have the highest resolution that the 800's can support. This doesn't mean though that it isn't a good and useful lens.

Michael

[alan_b]

Here's the D800 Tech Guide which gives "The List".

Nikon says these are "some of the lenses you can use for enhanced sharpness."  I wouldn't read it as the only lenses that are good enough.  I also wouldn't worry about the PC-E lenses. 

[JeffKohn]

IMHO suggesting that the 24-120 VR is sharper than the 45 PC-E is pretty silly, so I wouldn't read anything at all into the list provided by Nikon except that those are the lenses they hope to sell a lot of to new D800 buyers.

As for the 24 PC-E being "functional" on the D800, it works just fine on the D300 and D700 so I see no reason for concern with the D800.

[bjanes]

The list is Nikon's, and I doubt that there are any accidental omissions.

Just because the 50mm f/1.4 or any other lens isn't on the list only means that it likely doesn't have the highest resolution that the 800's can support. This doesn't mean though that it isn't a good and useful lens.

Michael

One lens that is on the Nikon list is the 24-120 f/4 AFS, which from the reports from LLoyd Chambers, PhotoZone.de and others is a mediocre lens. The 50 mm f/1.4 is a considerably better lens, according to these sources.

Regards,

Bill

[ErikKaffehr]

+1

I made the same observation. In general, large aperture lenses tend to have focus shift, and this may interfere with accurate LV focusing, but the Nikon 50/1.4 is decently good in that area to. AF is probably not using the outer rim of lenses with larger apertures than f/2.8, so this is an area where AF-could actually focus better than LV at full aperture.

Best regards
Erik

One lens that is on the Nikon list is the 24-120 f/4 AFS, which from the reports from LLoyd Chambers, PhotoZone.de and others is a mediocre lens. The 50 mm f/1.4 is a considerably better lens, according to these sources.

Regards,

Bill

[Ray]

One lens that is on the Nikon list is the 24-120 f/4 AFS, which from the reports from LLoyd Chambers, PhotoZone.de and others is a mediocre lens. The 50 mm f/1.4 is a considerably better lens, according to these sources.

Regards,

Bill

Bill,
Since I use this lens mostly with my D7000, I don't notice the soft edges and corners that probably would be noticeable on full-frame.

The unfortunate fact is that Nikon do not have a better FX zoom lens in this range with VR. For many of us the advantages of VR outweigh any slight increase in resolution that a prime lens, or a better quality zoom lens without VR, such as the 24-70/2.8, may offer.

Compare resolution at Photozone between the 20-120 VR at F5.6 and 50mm, with the prime AF-S 50mm/1.4 G at F5.6, using the Nikon D3X in both cases.

According to my calculations, the 50/1.4 has about 3% greater resolution in the centre, as measured in line-widths-per-picture-height at 50% MTF.

At the borders, that advantage increases to about 7.5% greater resolution, and at the extreme corners about 13% greater resolution.

Now let's consider what happens with hand-held shots when:

(1) The precise composition requires a 55mm lens and therefore a small amount of cropping is required in post processing.

(2) The shot with the 50mm prime requires a shutter speed of 1/4FL due to its lack of VR, whereas the 55mm shot with the 20-120/F4 VR can achieve a similar stability with 1/0.5FL, or 1/25th sec. (on the basis that VR provides a 3-stop advantage).

Which image will be technically better, sharper, more detailed, and/or less noisy? 

[ddietiker]

IMHO suggesting that the 24-120 VR is sharper than the 45 PC-E is pretty silly, so I wouldn't read anything at all into the list provided by Nikon except that those are the lenses they hope to sell a lot of to new D800 buyers.

As for the 24 PC-E being "functional" on the D800, it works just fine on the D300 and D700 so I see no reason for concern with the D800.

So this is where you have been hanging out eh? Good to hear your experience with the 24 on the D700 works.

[Watts Images]

 I shoot a lot of landscapes using graduated, and neutral density filters. Most of the time I'm in the 18 to 21 mm range. My Nikon 17-35 2.8 had a soft corner, so I want to replace it before my 800 arrives.

 What wide-angle lenses would be sharp, and still compatible with four-inch filters. I've read that the Nikon 16-35 is very sharp and because I'll be using this lens mostly at f/5.6-11 I don't have a problem with it being an F/4 lens. I would also consider a prime.

 Dennis

[ddietiker]

I shoot a lot of landscapes using graduated, and neutral density filters. Most of the time I'm in the 18 to 21 mm range. My Nikon 17-35 2.8 had a soft corner, so I want to replace it before my 800 arrives.

 What wide-angle lenses would be sharp, and still compatible with four-inch filters. I've read that the Nikon 16-35 is very sharp and because I'll be using this lens mostly at f/5.6-11 I don't have a problem with it being an F/4 lens. I would also consider a prime.

 Dennis

I use a 16-35 on my D3x usually at f10-11, I am very happy with the results. All I shoot is landscape.

[BernardLanguillier]

+1

I made the same observation. In general, large aperture lenses tend to have focus shift, and this may interfere with accurate LV focusing, but the Nikon 50/1.4 is decently good in that area to. AF is probably not using the outer rim of lenses with larger apertures than f/2.8, so this is an area where AF-could actually focus better than LV at full aperture.

I haven't tried yet, but the Nikon D800 manual states that by pressing OK button in live view it is possible to preview the effect of aperture as well as ISO...

If working per my expectations, this could be a way to correct focus at the target aperture for those lenses where focus shift is an actual issue.

Cheers,
Bernard

[JeffKohn]

I haven't tried yet, but the Nikon D800 manual states that by pressing OK button in live view it is possible to preview the effect of aperture as well as ISO...

If working per my expectations, this could be a way to correct focus at the target aperture for those lenses where focus shift is an actual issue.

Cheers,
Bernard

I'll be curious to see how the newer LiveView implementation on the D800 works. I'd be very surprised if there's isn't a stop-down mode. After all, on older models Live-View is always stopped down (that's my experience with D300 and D3x, anyway). It does open the aperture for contrast-based AF, but you can always check the result at full magnification. And it's a non-issue for manual focusing.

[JeffKohn]

So this is where you have been hanging out eh? Good to hear your experience with the 24 on the D700 works.

Howdy Douglas. The compatibility issue with the 24 PC-E has gotten overblown through 2nd- and 3rd-hand information on the internet. It's really only an issue with the consumer models and the models that pre-date the lens (D2x, D200, etc). Even on the D300 full rise was possible as long as you rotated the lens so that the larger knob was on bottom, not on top (which in no way compromised functionality). And it's even less of an issue if you modify the lens so that tilt and shift are on the same axis.

[imagico]

The list of lenses made me wonder as well since there are quite some lenses missing i would expect to perform quite well on the D800(e) - for example the 180mm f/2.8.  I think it is likely this list is also meant to encourage customers to buy into the newest Nikon lenses.

And i am pretty sure there are also significant differences in quality in the results from the lenses on the list.  It seems likely that - as others have already mentioned - some of the zooms like the 16-35 or the 24-120 will not be so great in the corners.

[OldRoy]

FWIW. Nikon issued a similar list of lenses, namely those that are compatible with the FT 1 adaptor for the 1 series cameras. There were some notable omissions (such as the 70-200 "VR1") however subsequent user reports have revealed that many of these omissions are in fact compatible. Whilst the issues involved are quite different, this would tend to indicate that Nikon's listings are not entirely to be trusted as definitive. Which, before someone else points it out, I would agree is a bit odd.
Roy

[ddietiker]

Howdy Douglas. The compatibility issue with the 24 PC-E has gotten overblown through 2nd- and 3rd-hand information on the internet. It's really only an issue with the consumer models and the models that pre-date the lens (D2x, D200, etc). Even on the D300 full rise was possible as long as you rotated the lens so that the larger knob was on bottom, not on top (which in no way compromised functionality). And it's even less of an issue if you modify the lens so that tilt and shift are on the same axis.

Thanks Jeff, I never know what to believe. So many have opinions but no experience and no links to their photography so I can see if they might know what they are talking about. It is hard to sort through the useful information from opinions. But I guess this is the internet, you dont actually have to have knowledgeable experience or even know how to take a photograph

[alan_b]

Update: photo (not mine) of a D800 w/ 24mm PC-E